BT axes Digital chief Harmeen Mehta in top table revamp

• BT CEO Allison Kirkby is shaking up her executive team
• Chief digital and innovation officer Harmeen Mehta heads for the exit door
• Her role will be split, with innovation falling under newly appointed chief strategy and change officer Tom Meakin
• Digital transformation comes under the temporary remit of chief networks and security officer Howard Watson

Allison Kirkby, who took over as CEO at UK national operator BT Group in February this year, has shaken up her top table team in a move that sees the departure of chief digital and innovation officer Harmeen Mehta and the permanent creation of a new strategy role. 

Tom Meakin, a former partner at consultancy McKinsey who joined BT Group in April as interim chief strategy and change officer, will take that role on a permanent basis from 1 November to help implement the new corporate strategy that Kirkby announced in May – see BT’s CEO unveils back-to-basics, UK-focused plan.

As part of that permanent appointment, Meakin will take on responsibility for innovation and strategic partnerships, for which Mehta, who joined the UK telco in 2021 when BT’s Digital unit was formed, has been responsible during the past three years.

According to BT, the strategy and change (S&C) team has “integrated all strategy work across BT Group and it has responsibility for driving our large transformation projects that will deliver improved customer experience and connectivity. In addition, BT Group’s product innovation and technology partnerships capability will move under the remit of the S&C team so that it sits at the centre of our strategy.”

Meakin stated: “By bringing together strategy, change, innovation and partnerships in one place, we will ensure everything we do helps us to deliver on our ambitions and work more effectively as one company.”

Under the new regime, responsibility for digital product development has moved from Digital to BT's consumer and business units “so that it sits as close to our customers as possible.”

With Meakin’s team taking on that part of the role, the Digital unit will now focus purely on the telco’s digital transformation programme. “It will play a critical role in the relentless modernisation of our platforms and as a catalyst for digital thinking, platforms and architecture,” stated BT.

As a result of these organisational changes, Mehta “decided the time is right to make the next move in her career, outside of BT Group,” according to the telco.

BT’s chief networks and security officer, Howard Watson, will become the temporary head of Digital, in addition to his existing responsibilities, until a new permanent replacement for Mehta is appointed. 

“These changes are important steps towards simplifying BT Group and in providing more focus on our digital transformation,” stated Kirkby. “Tom has been a hugely valued member of my team since he joined earlier this year, and I am thrilled that he’s joining us permanently. Harmeen was instrumental in creating and running Digital and has built some great digital foundations, which will accelerate BT’s modernisation. I’d like to thank Harmeen for her energy and passion as leader of our Digital unit over the last three and a half years, and I wish her every future success for her next digital chapter,” added the CEO. 

And now Mehta, who joined BT from India’s Bharti Airtel, is on the hunt for a new role after more than three years of revamping the UK telco’s IT platforms and forging partnerships with hyperscalers – see: 

BT’s digital chief boasts 90% IT estate shrinkage

Now BT Digital taps AWS for IT efficiencies and

BT embraces ‘The Digital Way’ with Google Cloud.

“Building Digital at BT has been an inspirational journey and I have enjoyed every moment of it,” stated Mehta, who recently talked to TelecomTV about BT’s cloud native and DevSecOps progress. “I wish the incredible team here continued success in their digital journey at BT Group,” she added. 

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV